Antegnati Virginal: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

This instrument was made by Giovanni Francesco (Gian Francesco) Antegnati in Brescia, Italy, around 1540. It is a polygonal virginal with a compass of C/E - a3 (original compass was F/G/A - f3), and a disposition of 1 x 8’. The soundboard is made of cypress with a rose carved directly into the soundboard, lute-style, which is characteristic of instruments made by Giovanni Francesco Antegnati. This harpsichord has boxwood naturals and ebony-colored accidentals. The nameboard, probably a later addition or re-inscribed, is inscribed: “ARTUS GHEERDINCK ME FECIT ANNO 1603.”

The separable outer case is painted light blue with floral designs and masks. The interior of the lid is painted with a snow landscape. The instrument rests on a table stand with 4 elaborately carved gilt legs.

Other instruments attributed to Giovanni Francesco Antegnati are in the collections of the Museo Nazionale degli Strumenti Musicali, Rome, the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, and the Musikinstrumenten-Museum, Berlin.

Materials, dates and provenance

• date made: ca 1540
• maker: Antegnato, Franceso
• Object Name: harpsichord
• Physical Description: wood (overall material)
• Physical Description: metal (overall material)
• Physical Description: paint (overall material)
• Measurements: overall: harpsichord: 8 1/2 in x 57 1/4 in x 21 1/2 in; 21.59 cm x 145.415 cm x 54.61 cm
• Measurements: overall: stand: 30 1/4 in x 57 3/4 in x 21 1/2 in; 76.835 cm x 146.685 cm x 54.61 cm
• place made: Italy: Lombardy, Brescia
• ID Number: MI.60.1391
• accession number: 227687
• catalog number: 60.1391
• Credit Line: Gift of Cooper Union Museum
• Data Source: National Museum of American History

Sources and reuse

Catalogue descriptions and facts adapted from National Museum of American History through the Smithsonian's official Open Access dataset. This record explicitly marks its metadata CC0 1.0; formatting and selection have been changed.